Survey Of Canadians’ Happiness - The Globe and Mail · Retired Canadians are much more satisfied...

Survey Of Canadians’ Happiness

July 2018

Methodology

22

Sample DatesJune 18-24, 2018

Online studyn = 2000 general

populationCompleted in French &

English

An in-depth survey of 2000 Canadian adults.

Interlocking targets were set for age & gender within province based on 2016 census data.

To minimize weighting of subgroups, a total of 2475 Canadians completed the survey withoverrepresented populations weighted down. The weighted sample reflects n=2000 cases.

The margin of error for a probability sample of this size would be +/- 2%, 19 times out of 20.

Canadians are happy and satisfied with their lives

Two thirds of Canadians report being very happy.

Just 5% of Canadians report being very unhappy.

Not surprisingly, a similar proportion is very satisfied with their lives.

Fewer are willing to assert that they are happier than others (54%).

3

Assessment of Happiness & Satisfaction with Life

4

Q5: Using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very unhappy’ and 9 is ‘very happy’, how would you rate your level of happiness these days, generally speaking? | Q6: All things considered, how satisfied are you in life? Please rate your satisfaction on scale of 1 to 9 when 1 means you are “very dissatisfied” and 9 means you are “very satisfied.” | Q7: On a scale from 1 to 9 where 1 is ‘much less happy’ and 9 is ‘much happier’, how happy are you compared with other people you know?

All Canadians n= 2000

67% 27% 5%

1%

Level of happiness

Very happy (7-9) Somewhat happy (4-6) Very unhappy (1-3) Don’t know

68% 26% 6%Level of satisfaction

Very satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied(4-6) Very dissatisfied(1-3) Don’t know

54% 33% 6% 7%Level of happiness compared toothers

Much happier (7-9) Somewhat happier (4-6) Much less happy (1-3) Don’t know

Which Canadians are happiest?

The four most consistent demographic differences across the data are: Age Income Retirement & employment/unemployment status Residents of Quebec versus residents in the rest of the country.

Surprisingly few differences by gender, urban/suburban/rural, or whether first, second or third generation immigrant etc.

5

Which Canadians are happiest?Canadians aged 55 and older are happier than younger Canadians. Retired Canadians are happier than either working or unemployed Canadians but

employed Canadians are happier than the unemployed.

Canadians in a relationship are happier than those who are not.

Canadians with children are happier than those who do not have children; despite many instances in the data that evidence young children are a stressor, parents of children <18 are just as likely to be happy as those with no children.

Residents of Quebec and the Atlantic provinces are happier than Canadians living elsewhere. Residents in BC are least likely to report being very happy (59%) but in fact the majority there are happy.

Happiness increases as income increases. Almost 80% of those households earning $15k0k+ report being very happy compared

to just 57% of those making less than $50k.

6


7

Q5: Using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very unhappy’ and 9 is ‘very happy’, how would you rate your level of happiness these days, generally speaking?


78%71%

65%57%

72%74%

66%66%

64%59%

78%74%

61%60%62%

66%69%

67%

17%26%

28%35%

23%21%

30%28%

27%32%

19%23%

31%33%30%

28%26%

27%

4%3%

6%8%

4%5%4%6%

8%8%

4%4%

7%6%

6%

6%5%

5%

1%

1%1%

1%

$150K+$100k - $150k$50K - 100K

<$50K

ATL.QCON

Sk/MBABBC

65+55-6445-5435-4418-34

FemaleMale

Level of happiness: Total



8


59%

72%

78%

54%

66%

67%

33%

24%

20%

36%

28%

27%

7%

4%

2%

9%

5%

5%

1%

1%

1%

1%

All other

In relationship

Retired

Not Employed

Employed

Level of happiness: Total


All Canadians n= 2000 | Sub-sample: Parents w/ kids over 18 n= 702 | Parents w/ kids under 18 n = 373 | Those who are not parents n = 907

Are parents happier?

9


62%

63%

77%

31%

31%

19%

6%

6%

4%

1%Non-parents

Parents w. child under 18

Parents w. child over 18


• Just over half of Canadians are parents, but they comprise 63% of the happiest cohort.


45%

46%

49%

63%

54%

52%

52%

51%

37%

45%

3%

2%

1%

Unhappy (1-3)

Neither happy nor unhappy (4-5)

Happy (6-7)

Very Happy (8-9)

Total: Are you a parent?

Yes No Prefer not to answer

• Those without young children are significantly happier than others.

Which Canadians are most satisfied with their lives?

Canadians 55 and older are much more satisfied with their lives than others.

Retired Canadians are much more satisfied with their lives than either working or unemployed Canadians & the employed are more satisfied than the unemployed.

Canadians in a relationship are more satisfied than those who are not.

Canadians with children are more satisfied with their lives than those without.

There aren’t large differences among the regions.

Satisfaction with life increases as income and value of investments increases.

10

Which are most satisfied with their lives?

11

Q6: All things considered, how satisfied are you in life? Please rate your satisfaction on scale of 1 to 9 when 1 means you are “very dissatisfied” and 9 means you are “very satisfied.”


80%73%

66%55%

66%74%

69%67%

64%63%

82%78%

63%58%

61%

67%69%

68%

16%24%

28%35%

26%20%

27%28%

29%30%

15%19%

29%35%

32%

27%25%

26%

4%3%6%

10%

7%6%5%6%7%6%

3%3%

8%7%7%

5%6%

6%

1%

1%

1%

$150K+$100k - $150k$50K - 100K

<$50K

ATL.QCON

Sk/MBABBC

65+55-6445-5435-4418-34

FemaleMale

Level of satisfaction: Total

Very satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very disatisfied (1-3) Don’t know

Which are most satisfied with their lives?

12

Q6: All things considered, how satisfied are you in life? Please rate your satisfaction on scale of 1 to 9 when 1 means you are “very dissatisfied” and 9 means you are “very satisfied.”

83%75%

63%52%

74%56%

59%74%

61%65%

80%

83%54%

65%

68%

16%22%

30%36%

22%35%

32%22%

31%29%

17%

15%37%

29%

26%

2%2%

6%12%

4%8%

8%4%

7%6%3%

2%9%5%

6%

1%1%

1%

1%

$250K +$100K - $250K

$25K - $100KValue of investments: < $25K

OwnHome: Rent

All otherIn relationship

Not a parentParents w/ kids under 18

Parents w/ kids over 18

RetiredNot Employed

Employed

Level of satisfaction: Total

Very satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very dissatisfied (1-3) Don’t know


Determinants of Happiness & Satisfaction

The most powerful determinants of both happiness & also satisfaction with life: Mental health Having a sense of purpose Personal growth

“Your sex life” & “the work that you do” are also significant determinants of both.

Determinants of happiness per se also include physical health and work-life balance.

Determinants of being satisfied with your life also include the amount of leisure time you have and satisfaction with your personal appearance.

13

14

Happiness:(R2=.55)• Physical health• Work life balance

Satisfaction (R2=.58)

• Amount of leisure time• Satisfaction with your

appearance

• Mental health• Sense of purpose• Personal growth• Sex life• Work that you do

Determinants of Happiness & Satisfaction

For all Canadians

Dependent Variables: “Using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very unhappy’ and 9 is ‘very happy’, how would you rate your level of happiness these days, generally speaking?” | “All things considered, how satisfied are you in life? Please rate your satisfaction on scale of 1 to 9 when 1 means you are “very dissatisfied” and 9 means you are “very satisfied.”Independent variables: “How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your life on scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is 'very dissatisfied' and 9 is 'very satisfied’?”| “Next, we would like you to rate how good a relationship you have with different people.”

What matters in your personal life?Of utmost importance to Canadians is: Mental & physical health Sleep A sense of purpose in life.

Personal growth and achieving goals are next in importance.

A third tier includes vacation time, leisure travel, exercise, being outdo0ors.

More Canadians value a successful career, music and reading than value sex. Careers are more important to Canadians aged 18-54, just behind “a sense of purpose”

while informal learning is very important to most seniors.

Spirituality is of less importance - just 45% saying it is very important. 1st generation Canadians place greater importance on spirituality than 3rd generation+. 2nd generation Canadians lag the 1st generation slightly but still find it more important

than 3rd + generation Canadians do.

15

Canadians Prioritize Health &A Sense of Purpose

16

Q14: Now, we would like you to rate the importance of different things in order to know how important you think it is to have each in your life.


68%

68%

69%

69%

71%

71%

72%

73%

76%

76%

83%

84%

85%

88%

26%

27%

14%

26%

25%

24%

22%

17%

19%

20%

14%

14%

13%

9%

4%

3%

2%

4%

2%

3%3%

2%

2%

2%

1%

1%

1%

1%

2%

2%

16%

2%

1%

2%

3%

7%

3%

2%

2%

1%

1%

2%

Enjoying music or entertainment

Hobbies

Work-life balance

Exercise

A good personal appearance

Spending time outdoors

Leisure travel

Vacation time

Achieving goals

Personal growth and improvement

Having a sense of purpose in life

Sleep

Your physical health

Your mental health

Very important (7-9) Somewhat importance (4-6) Not at all important (1-3) DK/NA

The Value of Work & Learning

17

Q14: Now, we would like you to rate the importance of different things in order to know how important you think it is to have each in your life.


27%

29%

42%

42%

45%

54%

55%

57%

61%

61%

63%

37%

48%

21%

36%

31%

36%

28%

32%

30%

21%

20%

26%

22%

26%

9%

19%

7%

8%

7%

7%

3%

3%

10%

2%

11%

13%

5%

4%10%

4%

2…

14%

14%

Practicing or performing music orentertainment

Shopping

A pet or pets at home

Formal learning and course work

Spirituality

Always trying to learn new skills such asa craft or language or cooking

Sexual encounters/activity

Informal learning through books andstudying

Reading

A successful career

Work that you do

Very important (7-9) Somewhat importance (4-6) Not at all important (1-3) DK/NA

Personal LivesMany Canadians are happy, in part, because they are very satisfied with their: Mental health – most saying this Sense of purpose in life Personal growth Amount of leisure time.

Just half are very satisfied with: Work-life balance Work they do The amount of sleep they get.Conversely, only 37% are very satisfied with their sex life.

Older Canadians are more likely to be satisfied with virtually all aspects of their personal lives including both mental and physical health and are just as likely as younger Canadians to be satisfied with their sex lives.

Residents of Quebec are more satisfied with most aspects of their personal lives than Canadians in the rest of the country.

18

Satisfaction With Personal Lives

19

Q13: Now we would like to ask how satisfied you are with different aspects of your life, using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’. **Satisfaction of each attribute (top3 box) was subtracted from importance to demonstrate the gap between what Canadians perceive as important versus their levels of satisfaction for each.

All Canadians = 2000

37%

45%

49%

52%

52%

53%

55%

56%

58%

59%

62%

67%

33%

35%

27%

37%

25%

26%

36%

34%

30%

33%

28%

25%

17%

15%

8%

10%

7%

12%

8%

9%

10%

6%

7%

6%

13%

5%

16%

1%

16%

9%

1%

1%

3%

3%

2%

1%

**Sexual encounters/activity

The amount of leisure travel you have

**Work-life balance

The amount of sleep you get

*Work that you do

The amount of vacation time you have

*Your personal appearance

*Your physical health

*The amount of leisure time you have

**Personal growth and improvement

**Your sense of purpose in life

**Your mental health

Very satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very dissatisfied (1-3) DK/NA

21%

21%

17%

29%

16%

20%

11%

32%

20%

27%

18%

**V.Imp vs. V.Sat (7-9)

Canadians are most satisfied with their mental and physical health. Satisfaction is lowest with sexual activity.

Income Matters

Income influences all of the determinants of happiness and satisfaction.

As income increases so too does satisfaction with: Mental health Sense of purpose Work-life balance Physical health Vacation time Leisure travel Sexual encounters/activity Personal growth Work that you do

The biggest gaps between the importance of the aspect and satisfaction with the aspect occurs re physical health, sleep, and leisure travel.

20

Personal Lives

Older Canadians are more likely to be satisfied with virtually all aspects of their personal lives including both mental and physical health.

They are just as likely as younger Canadians to be satisfied with their sex lives.

Residents of Quebec are more satisfied with most aspects of their personal lives than Canadians in the rest of the country.

Canadians are mostly satisfied with their mental and physical health. E.g. more likely to be very satisfied with their mental & physical health.

Men are more likely than women to satisfied be with their mental health

21

Mental Health

22

Q13: Now we would like to ask how satisfied you are with different aspects of your life, using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’.


81%72%

65%51%

76%68%

66%63%

61%61%

74%70%

66%60%

88%77%

64%56%

52%

71%64%

67%

17%22%

28%35%

18%21%28%

28%32%

29%

21%26%

26%28%

9%19%

25%34%

37%

22%29%

25%

2%5%6%

13%

4%9%5%

9%7%

10%

5%5%

7%11%

2%3%

9%7%9%

6%7%

6%

1%1%1%

2%1%1%1%1%1%

1%

1%2%

1%1%1%2%2%

2%1%

1%

$250K +$100K - $250K


QCATL.

ONBC

SK/MBAB

$150K+$100k - $150k$50K - 100K

<$50K

65+55-6445-5435-4418-34

MenWomen

Total: Your mental health


Physical Health

23



65%58%

54%45%

64%56%55%55%

52%48%

59%59%

55%50%

70%63%

50%47%50%

56%

30%34%

37%41%

27%36%

33%36%

36%40%

34%33%

36%37%

24%29%

39%42%38%

34%

4%8%9%

13%

7%8%11%

8%12%12%

7%8%

8%12%

6%8%

10%8%

10%

9%

1%

1%

2%1%1%1%

1%

1%

1%1%

1%

1%2%2%

1%

$250K +$100K - $250K


QCAB

ATL.ON

SK/MBBC

$150K+$100k - $150k$50K - 100K

<$50K

65+55-6445-5435-4418-34

Total: Your physical health


What Do Canadians Want At Work?

The top aspects of work Canadians desire are: A good salary Work that is worthwhile & interestingThese are equally important.

Health benefits are almost as important and more so than pensions.

The culture/attitude of colleagues and recognition for your performance at work are also highly valued.

There are no differences in the importance of these among men and women.

24

Canadians Value Salary & Interesting Work

25

Q17: Now we would like you to rate some aspects of your work life in terms of how important it is to you to have each in your life.

Total n= 1296 – Asked only of those in the workforce

84%

82%

79%

76%

74%

73%

72%

71%

12%

14%

13%

17%

20%

17%

19%

19%

1%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

3%

4%

3%

4%

6%

5%

4%

8%

5%

6%

A good salary

Work that is worthwhile andinteresting

Having a health benefits plan

The culture and attitude of the teamyou work with

Recognition for your performance atwork

Pension benefits

Opportunities to improve yourabilities within current job

Schedule flexibility/ workingremotely when needed

Very important (7-9) Somewhat important (4-6) Not at all important(1-3) DK/NA

Will I Be Harassed?

Women’s satisfaction with their work life is affected by sexual harassment. This is a make or break for women. Not commute time, not salary nor benefits but sexual harassment at work. Women don’t report more sexual harassment than men, but their satisfaction

with their work life is directly affected by it.

When looking at men and women, the key determinant is whether the work is interesting and worthwhile. When holding income constant, the advanced analysis finds this to be the

overriding determinant of satisfaction with work.

Satisfaction among both men and women is also affected by: Satisfaction with the field they’ve chosen Opportunities for advancement

26

27

Male:(n=335 R2= .57)• Stress levels at work • Your coworkers

Female:(n=623 R2= .60)

• Sexual harassment• Your current job

• Age

• Work worthwhile and interesting

• Your professional field • Career advancement

Satisfaction With WorkGender Differences

While sexual harassment is a determinant for women, for men it is stress & satisfaction with coworkers that is important.

Older Canadians are more satisfied at work. The association is significant among women.

“How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your personal life on scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is 'very dissatisfied' and 9 is 'very satisfied’?” [Work that you do] | “Using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very unhappy’ and 9 is ‘very happy’, how would you rate your level of happiness these days, generally speaking?” | How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your work life, on a 1 to 9 scale, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’?

Working ExperienceA majority of Canadian workers are very satisfied with Their current job Their professional field Work hours Commute time Work that is worthwhile and interesting Culture and attitude of the team they work with

Less than half are satisfied with their: Salary Recognition of their work Pension and health benefits Opportunities to improve your abilities Career advancement Stress level

The biggest gaps in stated expectations: pay, benefits & opportunities to improve.

28

Working Canadians Mostly Very Satisfied

29

Q16: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your work life, on a 1 to 9 scale, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? ** Satisfaction of each attribute (top3 box) was subtracted from importance to demonstrate the gap between what Canadians perceive as important versus their levels of satisfaction for each.

Total n= 1296 – Asked only of those in the workforce

61%

61%

59%

59%

58%

52%

47%

47%

45%

42%

41%

41%

41%

40%

27%

27%

29%

25%

31%

31%

35%

33%

28%

33%

13%

38%

35%

14%

8%

7%

9%

11%

8%

9%

13%

15%

16%

15%

4%

16%

14%

4%

4%

4%

4%

6%

3%

8%

5%

6%

11%

10%

42%

5%

10%

42%

Your current job

Your professional field

Work hours

Commute time

Work that is worthwhile and interesting

Culture/attitude of team you work with

Salary

Recognition for your performance at work

Pension and health benefits

Opp. to improve w/i current job

Sexual harassment at work

Stress levels at work

Career advancement

Racial harassment at workVery satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very dissatisfied(1-3) DK/NA


37%

12%

30%

27%

24%

34%

24%

Making More Makes Work Better

Across all workplace satisfaction measures (excepting racial & sexual harassment), as income increases satisfaction increases. The higher the income the more satisfied workers are with their field, job,

workplace culture, salary, benefits, opportunities, recognition & commute.

Many men and women could not offer an opinion on harassment at work. Among those that did, women were less likely to be satisfied with their experience of sexual (-7 points less satisfied) & racial harassment (-11) at work.

30

Common Ground: Men

31

Q16: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your work life, on a 1 to 9 scale, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? ** Satisfaction of each attribute (top3 box) was subtracted from importance to demonstrate the gap between what Canadians perceive as important versus their levels of satisfaction for each.

Men n = 662 – Asked only of those in the workforce

63%

63%

59%

58%

57%

53%

49%

48%

47%

45%

45%

44%

43%

43%

26%

27%

28%

26%

32%

30%

34%

33%

29%

32%

16%

14%

38%

35%

7%

6%

9%

10%

8%

9%

12%

15%

15%

14%

4%

5%

14%

13%

4%

4%

4%

7%

3%

8%

5%

5%

9%

9%

35%

37%

6%

9%

Your current job


Work hours

Commute time


Culture & attitude of the team you work with

Salary




Racial harassment at work



Career advancementVery satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very dissatisfied(1-3) DK/NA


12%

20%

25%

33%

23%

25%

26%

Common Ground: Women

32

Q16: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your work life, on a 1 to 9 scale, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’?

Women n= 629 – Asked only of those in the workforce

60%

60%

59%

59%

59%

52%

45%

45%

43%

39%

39%

39%

37%

34%

29%

24%

29%

28%

31%

32%

36%

33%

28%

34%

37%

35%

12%

12%

8%

11%

8%

8%

8%

9%

14%

16%

17%

16%

19%

15%

3%

4%

3%

5%

5%

5%

3%

7%

4%

6%

12%

11%

5%

11%

48%

50%

Work hours

Commute time

Your current job



Culture/attitude of team you work with

Salary





Career advancement


Racial harassment at workVery satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very dissatisfied(1-3) DK/NA

12%

25%

28%

32%

40%

35%

30%


Stellar Relationships

The vast majority of parents report a very good relationship with their children.

Almost the same proportion of couples report a very good relationship. And there is no gender difference in assessments of the quality of these partner relationships.

Three quarters of Canadians report having very good relationships with their best friends, parents and close family members.

Two thirds report having very good relationships with their co-workers.

Half report having very good relationships with their neighbours.

33

Good Relationship With Children & Partners

34

Q19: Next, we would like you to rate how good a relationship you have with different people. (1 to 9 scale 1= you have a very poor relationship 9= you have a very good relationship)

* Parents, those in the workforce & couples were asked these . “Not applicable” & “don’t know” have been suppressed above. Those with children n= 1029 | In relationship n= 1205 | Those employed or seeking work n=1190| Friends n= 1915| Parents n= 1426| Close family n= 1958| Neighbours n = 1842

89%

86%

80%

75%

74%

71%

57%

9%

12%

18%

20%

21%

26%

34%

2%

2%

2%

6%

4%

3%

10%

Your children*

Your partner/spouse*

Your best friends

Your parents

Your close family members

Your coworkers*

Your neighbours

Very good relationship (7-9) Somewhat good relationship (4-6) Very poor relationship(1-3)

Most all parents feel they have a good relationship with their children but fewer children think they have a good relationship with their parents.

Women were more likely than men to report having a better relationship with their children, close family members, and best friends.

What aspects of family life are important to Canadians?

35

Q21.Now we would like you to rate some aspects of your life in terms of how important it is to you to have each in your life.

92%

91%

88%

87%

85%

57%

56%

6%

7%

8%

12%

13%

11%

13%

1%

1%

2%

1%

1%

3%

3%

1%

1%

2%

1%

28%

28%

A good relationship with yourpartner/spouse*

Good emotional support & connectionbetween you & your spouse/partner*

Quality time spent with your children*

Participating in or attending activitieswith your children*

Interests and activities you share withyour partner/spouse*

A good relationship with your parents

Good emotional support & connectionbetween you and your parents

Very important (7-9) Somewhat important (4-6) Not at all important (1-3) DK/NA

Canadians highly value almost all aspects of family life. More strongly valued aspects are good relations with children and the emotional

support /connection they feel with spouses.

* Parents, those in the workforce & couples were asked these. Those with young children n= 373 | Relationship/Connection w/ Parents n= 2000 | Asked of those in a relationship n= 1216| Asked of those with Children n = 1044

Majority Satisfied With Close Relationships

36

Q20: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your life, on a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’?

80%

73%

73%

66%

66%

15%

21%

21%

28%

25%

5%

6%

5%

6%

8%

Good emotional support & connectionbetween you & your spouse/partner*

The interests & activities you share withyour partner/spouse*

Quality time spent with your children*

Quality time spent with close family

Good emotional support & connectionbetween you & your parents

Very satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very dissatisfied (1-3)

Canadians not only have close family relations, most that do are satisfied with them.

E.g. 86% have a “close partnership” & 80% are very satisfied with the support/connection within it.

Most all parents (88%) said time with children was very important – not as many (73%) were very satisfied with the time spent together.

Men and women are almost equally satisfied with most aspects of their family life, except women are more satisfied with quality time with their children.

* Parents, those in the workforce & couples were asked these. “Not applicable” & “don’t know” suppressed above. Those with children n=1023 | Interests/Activities w/ Partner n= 1204 | Close family n = 1930 | Support/Connection w/ Partner n = 1205 | Support/Connection w/ Parents = 1427

Family is a Source of Strength

37

33%

17%

7%

43%

41%

32%

14%

20%

29%

5%

7%

28%

2%

5%

2%

3%

10%

2%

Family is a source of strength for me

It’s a good thing to have a large extended family

Family is a source of stress for me

Stronly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagreeStrongly disagree Not applicable Don't know

“Thinking about your family life, please tell us whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following statements.”


Close family are a source of strength for – albeit a plurality of Canadians say only ‘somewhat’.

Very few do not see family as a supportive aspect of their lives.

38

Happiness:(n=408 R2= .30)• Relation’p with partner/spouse• Relation’p with best friends

Satisfaction (n=408 R2= .33)

• Relation’p w. your children• Age

• The interests shared with partner/spouse

• Quality time with close family

• Household income

Family Life InfluencingHappiness and Satisfaction

For Canadians with children, in relationships, and have parents

Advanced analysis of the data confirms that key family life aspects are drivers overall happiness: • How good a relationship Canadians have with best friends• Relationships with partners/spouses & sharing interests with partners• Quality time with close family

Satisfaction with life is affected by some of those too along with relationships with your children.

Dependent Variables: “Using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very unhappy’ and 9 is ‘very happy’, how would you rate your level of happiness these days, generally speaking?” | “All things considered, how satisfied are you in life? Please rate your satisfaction on scale of 1 to 9 when 1 means you are “very dissatisfied” and 9 means you are “very satisfied.”Independent variables: “How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your life on scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is 'very dissatisfied' and 9 is 'very satisfied’?”| “Next, we would like you to rate how good a relationship you have with different people.”

Social Life Values

Canadians strongly value the freedom and tolerance of Canadian society.

They strongly value close friends and yet value time alone almost as much.

The majority values the independence they have and choices they can make, while a smaller proportion values broader social interaction or networking. Half strongly value meeting new people & having many friendships. They equally value donating to charities (46%) and volunteering (43%). While one third say engaging in club or group activity is very important, just

one quarter highly value being politically active or religiously active. Online social media & religious service attendance are of least importance.

39

Canadians Value ChoiceTolerance, Close Friendships

40

Q25: Now we would like you to rate different aspects of your social life in terms of how important it is to you to have each in your life.

Total n= 2000

54%

55%

58%

60%

71%

74%

76%

77%

79%

85%

89%

33%

30%

31%

29%

21%

22%

20%

18%

16%

11%

9%

11%

11%

8%

9%

3%

3%

2%

3%

3%

1%

1%

2%

3%

4%

2%

5%

2%

3%

3%

2%

3%

1%

Entertaining at home

Living in a multicultural society

Good relationships with your neighbours

Following local, provincial/nationalnews & current events

Living in a thriving economy that offersprofessional/financial opportunities

Time spent alone

Living in society that reflects your values

Living in a tolerant society

Having close friends

Living in a free society

Freedom to make life choices


Networks Are Less Important

41

Q25: Now we would like you to rate different aspects of your social life in terms of how important it is to you to have each in your life.


21%

24%

24%

31%

31%

34%

41%

43%

46%

48%

50%

37%

23%

40%

30%

41%

39%

31%

37%

36%

39%

40%

39%

46%

32%

32%

23%

22%

23%

16%

14%

11%

8%

4%

7%

5%

6%

5%

5%

5%

4%

4%

2%

2%

Being active on online social media

Attendance at religious services

Being politically active

Supporting your favorite sports team

Participating in and following localgovernment

Attending regular group/clubactivities

Playing sports

Volunteering

Donating to charities

Having many friendships

Meeting new people


Are Canadians satisfied with personal relationships?

42

Q24:How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your social life on scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? ** Importance of each attribute (top3 box) was subtracted from satisfaction to demonstrate the gap between what Canadians perceive as important versus their levels of satisfaction for each.


50%

52%

60%

70%

37%

32%

29%

22%

10%

7%

9%

5%

3%

8%

3%

3%

The frequency with which youspend time with your friends

The quality of relationships withyour neighbours

The number of friendships youhave

The quality of relationships withyour close friends


9%

-12%

6%

V.Imp vs. V.Sat (7-9)

Canadians are more satisfied with the quality of their relationships with their friends than they are with the amount of time they have with them.

Quality of Friendships

43All Canadians n= 2000

70

67

74

63

62

68

77

84

22

25

19

28

28

21

18

13

5

5

5

6

7

8

3

2

3

3

2

3

3

3

2

2

All Canadians

Gender: M

F

Age: 18-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+


Women are more satisfied than men with the quality of their friendships. While a clear majority all age groups are satisfied with those friendships, quality improves

with age.

Q24:How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your social life on scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? [The quality of relationships with your close friends]

Relations With Neighbours

44Total n= 2000

52

354952

6171

4946

4250

6551

32

393734

3020

3537

4134

2331

7

1169

44

711

694

6

8

158655

97

1178

12

All Canadians

Age: 18-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Region: BC AB

SK/MB ON QC

ATL.Very satisfied (7-9) Somewhat satisfied (4-6) Very dissatisfied (1-3) DK/NA

Relations with neighbours varies tremendously by age. Younger Canadians are far less likely than older Canadians to say they are satisfied with relations with their neighbours.

Residents of Quebec are far more likely to be satisfied with their neighbours.

Q24:How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your social life on scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? [The quality of relationships with your neighbours]

New Canadians

45

7

44

56

30

42

32

28

7

8

31

2

2

3

5

2

You feel home sick at times

The move has presented you withpositive new experiences

I feel at home in Canada

Stronly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don't knowQ29: “And considering that you now live somewhere different than where you’re originally from, please tell us if you stronglyagree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following statements.”

First generation Canadians n=414

Almost all new Canadians report they feel at home in Canada, however 40% report feeling home sick.

Financial Life

This survey finds most Canadians are very satisfied with their family, personal and social lives. It is a different picture when it comes to people’s finances.

Most feel they can get by. Only about half are very satisfied with their ability to save for the future and fewer are happy with the financial advice they receive.

Middle-aged Canadians are especially dissatisfied with financial advice and concerned about their retirement savings.

Older cohorts are far more satisfied with their disposable income.

46

47

Satisfaction (n=408 R2= .34)

• Ability to save/plan for future • Importance of having enough to

leave behind• Household income

• Age • Importance of accumulating wealth

(-.08)

Happiness:(n=786 R2= .25)• Financial advice• Cost of housing

• Disposable income to enjoying life

• Ability to manage cost of living

• Importance of having enough to retire on • Home ownership

Financial Issues Influence Happiness

n=786

Advanced analysis confirms that happiness tends to be associated with one’s ability to cover costs, plan for the future & the advice available to achieve that.

Debt does not come up as associated with higher or lower happiness.

Satisfaction with life is more associated with long-term goals e.g. if wealth accumulation for the next generation is important to you.

Dependent Variables: “Using a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very unhappy’ and 9 is ‘very happy’, how would you rate your level of happiness these days, generally speaking?” | “All things considered, how satisfied are you in life? Please rate your satisfaction on scale of 1 to 9 when 1 means you are “very dissatisfied” and 9 means you are “very satisfied.”Independent variables: “How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your financial life on a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’?” | “Now we would like you to rate aspects of your financial life in terms of how important you think it is to have each in your life. (1-9 scale)”

Aspects of Financial life

48

Q31: Now we would like you to rate aspects of your financial life in terms of how important you think it is to have each in your life.


43%

54%

59%

80%

81%

31%

34%

23%

16%

11%

19%

8%

6%

2%

2%

6%

4%

13%

3%

6%

Having enough to leave behind

Accumulating wealth

Drawing income from yourinvestments

Disposable income that you canspend enjoying life

Having enough to retire on


Canadians are focused on two very different objectives in equal measures – retirement and having enough disposable income to enjoy life.

Most are looking to investments for income but tends to be a focus of older Canadians with more saved.

Leaving money behind for the next generation is less important.

Are Canadians concerned about finances?

49

Q32: How concerned are you personally about each of the following?


12%

22%

16%

25%

23%

27%

38%

19%

11%

7%

The amount of debt youhave

Having enough moneyfor retirement

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Slightly concerned Not at all concerned DK/NA

Nearly half of Canadians are very concerned about their ability to save for retirement.

Just over half surveyed have non-mortgage debt and about a third have mortgages.

Despite debt loads, concern about retirement is far greater than concern about debt.

Concern about debt is higher though among the middle aged – peaking at 42% among those aged 45-54 compared to 28% overall.

Retirement Concerns

50

Q32: How concerned are you personally about each of the following? Having enough for retirement.


12%

20%

35%

29%

19%

22%

17%

23%

29%

27%

27%

25%

23%

33%

21%

30%

30%

27%

35%

21%

13%

9%

15%

19%

13%

4%

3%

4%

10%

7%

65+

55-64

45-54

35-44

18-34

Total

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Slightly concerned Not at all concerned DK/NA

Concern about retirement is especially acute among those aged 35-54.

Otherwise most are at worst somewhat concerned – even though far more said this was a priority.

How are Canadians managing?

51

Q30: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your financial life on a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? ** Satisfaction of each attribute (top3 box) was subtracted from importance to demonstrate the gap between what Canadians perceive as important versus their levels of satisfaction for each.


43%

47%

48%

49%

50%

56%

30%

31%

31%

32%

31%

30%

10%

11%

16%

17%

15%

11%

18%

12%

6%

3%

4%

3%

Professional financial advice youreceive

The value of your investments

The cost of your housing

Disposable income that you canspend enjoying life

Your ability to save/plan forfuture

Your ability to manage cost ofliving


31%

V.Imp vs. V.Sat (7-9)

Most say they can cover cost of living but a substantial proportion is less certain (4 in 10).

A roughly similar proportion (43%) agreed they are falling behind.

They were least satisfied with financial advice they receive. Fewer were satisfied with their professional advice than were satisfied with their own ability plan and save.

Satisfaction With Disposable Income

52

Q30: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your financial life on a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? [Disposable income that you can spend enjoying life]


49

41

38

43

57

66

32

38

40

30

28

22

17

16

20

25

13

10

3

5

3

2

2

2

All Canadians

Age: 18-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+


Seniors are substantially more satisfied with the disposable income they have to enjoy life.

Among those 18-54 satisfaction drops to just over 40%.

Satisfaction With The Cost Of Your Housing

53

Q30: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your financial life on a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? [The cost of your housing]


48

34

39

42

58

71

31

35

38

32

28

19

15

19

20

22

10

6

6

12

3

4

4

3

All Canadians

Age: 18-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+


Mitigating their ability to save or spend is the cost of housing.

Younger Canadians are far less satisfied with their cost of housing – dropping below 40%.

Seniors are unique: satisfaction rises with age but even the difference between those aged 55-64 and 65+ is substantial.

Satisfaction With Professional Financial Advice

54

Q30: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your financial life on a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is ‘very dissatisfied’ and 9 is ‘very satisfied’? [Professional financial advice]


43

32

31

38

52

61

30

35

39

31

29

16

10

9

14

16

6

5

18

23

16

14

12

19

All Canadians

Age: 18-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+


Retired Canadians are significantly more satisfied with the financial advice they get.

Middle aged Canadians are least satisfied with the advice they receive. Arguably they are more likely to receive financial advice, especially closer to retirement. Younger

Canadians tend to say they don’t receive such advice – with nearly 1 in 4 of those aged 18-34 saying this is not applicable to them.

Conclusions

Canadians are happy and satisfied with their lives.

This is in large measure because the vast majority are very satisfied with their personal, family and social lives.

Family life and personal life in particular are sources of strength. In fact, more Canadians feel good about their family relationships than about life in general.

Having children is also a determinant of happiness. In fact, parents of children over 18 are the happiest Canadians. Interestingly despite the obvious stressors of having children under 18 – disposable income, less sex, less sleep, etc. – These Canadians are just as happy as those without children.

55

Conclusions

Across nearly all determinants of happiness and satisfaction generally and in each aspect of life – personal, work and financial – as age increases, so too does your happiness and satisfaction.

Income is a strong determinant of satisfaction with personal life, work and finances.

Satisfaction with work life is not as high as satisfaction with family life. Particularly with stress levels and opportunities for advancement.

Of most trouble to Canadians is their financial life. Most are at least somewhat satisfied with their ability to manage the cost of living. But only about half of Canadians are very satisfied with most financial aspects such as their ability to save, enough disposable income, cost of housing etc.

56

THANK YOU

57

For more information contact:

Alex Swann, T: 416.644.4125 [email protected]

[email protected] | gandalfgroup.ca

mailto:[email protected]

Does language impact overall happiness and satisfaction?

58

Q3: What is the language most often spoken at your home?

72%

78%

77%

70%

71%

79%

77%

69%

74%

18%

14%

19%

26%

15%

16%

18%

27%

21%

8%

7%

5%

4%

11%

6%

5%

4%

5%

3%

3%

Disatisfied (1-3)

Neither satisfied nor unsatisfied (4-5)

Satisfied (6-7)

Very Satisfied (8-9)

Unhappy (1-3)

Neither happy nor unhappy (4-5)

Happy (6-7)

Very Happy (8-9)

Total: Language spoken at home

English French Other Don’t know


Those who are happiest are far more likely to be francophones than those who are unhappy.

Financial Life –Investments/Sources of Retirement

59

Q34.Which of the following investments or sources of retirement income do you have? Select all that apply.


61%

42%

32%

23%

17%

13%

5%

19%

RRSPs

Defined benefit

Mutual funds and or ETFs

Stocks

Planned sale of primary residence

Defined contribution

Planned sale of secondary residence

None of these

Most surveyed have an RRSP but nearly four in ten do not. Far fewer however stocks or mutual funds. Many have a defined benefit pension. Surprisingly few think of their home as a retirement savings vehicle, perhaps because so many are paying

mortgages.

Financial Life – Home Ownership/Debt

60

Q35: Do you own your own home or rent the home you live in? | Q36: Do you have a mortgage? | Q38: Do you have any non-mortgage debt?

Rent/Own n= 2000 | Mortgage n = 1351 | Non-mortgage debt n= 2000

66%

27%

1%

6%

Own

Rent

Both

Prefer not to say

51%

47%

2%

Yes

No

Prefer not to say

Do you own your home or rent the home you live in?

If you’re a home owner, do you have a mortgage?

8%

32%

54%

6%

Yes, a great deal

Yes, some

No

Prefer not to say

Do you have any non-mortgage debt?

A clear majority (66%) of Canadian adults live in homes they own and half of them have a mortgage. Four in ten are carrying non-mortgage debt.

Financial Life – Value of Investments

61

Q37: So we may categorize your answers, please tell us the approximate value of your investments not including real estate or a workplace retirement plan. These investments together would include bank accounts and investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, RRIFs, TFSA accounts & RRSP holdings. Please give us a rough estimate if you’re unsure.


22%

14%

13%

13%

19%

21%

Less than $25,000

Between $25,000 and $50,00

Between $50,000 and $100,00

Between $100,000 and $250,000

$250,000 and over

Prefer not to answer

Value of people’s investments - % saying they have each

At least half of Canadians have less than $100,000 invested – 48% surveyed plus an additional portion of those who preferred not to say the size of their investments.

Canadians Who Have Moved Within Canada Yet Far From Home

62

8

38

28

50

24

7

38

2

2

3

You feel home sick at times

The move has presented you withpositive new experiences

Stronly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don't know“And considering that you now live somewhere different than where you’re originally from, please tell us if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following statements.”

Iimmigrants and those who have moved from away n=1086 | Those with parents born in Canada and that have moved from away n=458

As was the case with 1st generation Canadians, 3rd plus generation Canadians who have had to move for work or moved far from where they and their parents were born, mostly feel positively about the move.

Amount of Sleep

63



55%40%

61%55%

50%49%49%48%

67%59%

46%46%

44%

52%

34%47%

32%32%

38%38%39%41%

27%33%

40%41%

41%

37%

10%13%

5%12%11%13%

12%11%

5%8%

13%12%

13%

10%

1%1%

1%1%1%

1%

1%

1%2%2%

1%

Not parent of child <18Parent of child <18

QCATL.

ONSK/MB

BCAB

65+55-6445-5435-4418-34

Total: The amount of sleep you have


Only about half are very satisfied with how much sleep they get. This improves among those aged 55+. It is lowest among those with young children.

Work-life balance

64



38%

44%

54%

40%

46%

47%

50%

50%

53%

49%

35%

8%

35%

34%

29%

28%

27%

30%

19%

27%

10%

1%

10%

10%

9%11%

6%

7%

6%

8%

17%

47%

1%

17%

16%

14%

17%

13%

22%

16%

Not employed

Retired

Employed

SK/MB

BC

AB

ATL.

ON

QC

Total: Work-life balance


Few are dissatisfied with work-life balance but among those in the workforce it’s only about half that are very satisfied with this aspect of their life, even though 82% said it was very important to them.

Residents of Quebec are the most satisfied with work life balance in their life.

Leisure time

65



34%

40%

59%

45%

47%

48%

66%

83%

58%

40%

39%

28%

39%

40%

36%

27%

10%

30%

23%

16%

9%

14%

12%

14%

6%

2%

10%

3%

6%

5%

3%

2%

2%

2%

4%

3%

Parent of child <18

Not a parent

Parent of child <18

18-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

Total: Leisure time you have


Older Canadians are far more satisfied with the amount of leisure time they have. Parents with young children are among the least satisfied.

Sense of Purpose

66



53%55%

77%

69%64%

61%52%

79%74%

59%51%

49%

62%

36%34%

16%

25%30%

29%32%

14%21%

30%36%

38%

28%

9%9%

5%

4%5%

8%

13%

3%4%

10%11%9%

7%

2%2%2%

1%1%3%3%

4%1%1%2%4%

2%

Not a parentParent of child <18Parent of child >18

$150K+$100k - $150k$50K - 100K

<$50K

65+55-6445-5435-4418-34

Total: Your sense of purpose in life


Older Canadians are far more likely to be satisfied with their sense of purpose in life. Those earning less are least satisfied with this.

Personal Appearance

67



71%

61%

49%

48%

48%

52%

59%

55%

26%

35%

40%

40%

40%

39%

33%

36%

3%

4%

10%

11%

11%

9%

6%

8%

1%

1%

1%

2%

1%

2%

1%

65+

55-64

45-54

35-44

18-34

Women

Men

Total: Your personal appearance


While most are satisfied with their personal appearance dissatisfaction is higher among those aged 18-55.

Personal Life Sentiments

The happiest Canadians are more likely than others to say they: Are optimistic about the future – 90% vs. 76% among total Are up to date with chores – 79% vs. 68% Have accomplished a great deal in life – 86% vs. 74%

They are more likely than those who are not happy to say they: Like to laugh – 96% vs. 93% Have a cluttered personal space – 37% vs. 44%

They are less likely to say they are not as healthy as they should be: 51% vs. 60% among total.

They are not more likely to keep a journal or say they tend to be honest.

68

Personal Life Sentiments

69

63%

51%

24%

22%

21%

18%

14%

12%

11%

5%

30%

40%

52%

53%

48%

42%

23%

31%

33%

15%

4%5%

16%

17%

23%

22%

16%

31%

29%

21%

2%

2%

5%

5%

7%

15%

43%

21%

25%

56%

2%

2%

3%

4%

2%

2%

3%

5%

3%

4%

I like to laugh

I tend to be honest with others

I am optimistic about the future

I have accomplished a great deal in life

I’m up to date with chores

I am not as healthy as I should be

I currently, or have in the past, struggled with my mentalhealth

I feel like I am falling behind financially

My personal space is cluttered

I keep an up-to-date personal diary or journal to recordthoughts and events

Stronly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don't knowQ13: “Thinking about your personal life/financial life, please tell us whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following statements.”

June 2018 Total n=2000

Social Life Sentiments

The happiest Canadians are much more likely than others to say they: Rarely feel lonely – 80% vs 62% among total Feel a sense of belonging where they live 85% vs. 75% Agree the country is headed in the right direction - 75% vs. 69%

They are more likely than those who are unhappy to: Feel free to make choices – 94% vs. 89% among total Express thoughts and feelings – 62% vs. 57% Feel at home in Canada – 94% vs. 90 Try to help others – 87% vs. 84% Agree the next generation will be better off – 35% vs. 30%

They are not substantially more likely to say they: Worry about the environment – 83% vs. 79% Are a spiritual person – 52% vs. 48% total

70

Social Life Sentiments

71

62%44%

30%25%25%24%22%20%17%16%16%

6%2%

28%45%

50%50%

59%38%

26%49%

32%51%

41%24%

9%

5%7%

13%14%

10%24%

18%16%

21%21%

27%36%

27%

2%2%

5%6%

3%11%

28%7%

23%6%

11%15%

54%

2%2%2%4%

3%2%2%

8%5%

5%5%

19%4%

I feel at home in Canada

I feel free to make choices in my own life

I worry about the environment

I feel a sense of belonging where I live

I try to help others who are not family to me

I rarely feel lonely

I now live in a different place than where I grew up, far fromfriends/family

While the country has some problems, Canada is headed in the rightdirection

I consider myself a spiritual person

I feel a sense of belonging to a community

I tend to express my thoughts and feelings more openly than others

The next generation of Cdns will be better off than the current generation

My friends are more of a drag than benefit

Stronly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Not applicable Don't knowQ26: “Now please tell us if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following statements.”

June 2018 Total n=2000

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Survey Of Canadians’ Happiness - The Globe and Mail · Retired Canadians are much more satisfied...

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